Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry Shanghai (CHI Shanghai) has successfully completed China’s first ship-to-ship (STS) methanol bunkering operation by a shipbuilding and repair enterprise at a shipyard’s berth, marking a major milestone in the nation’s adoption of alternative marine fuels.
The operation took place at CHI Shanghai’s shipyard terminal, where the Cosco Shipping Libra safely bunkered 2,100t of methanol fuel within 10 hours. Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore (BVS), a technical advisory arm of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV), provided expert risk assessment and technical support, ensuring the safe and efficient execution of the project.
The successful bunkering provides a replicable model for future methanol dual-fuel conversions and supply projects while showcasing CHI Shanghai’s ability to deliver end-to-end solutions across repair, conversion, and bunkering. This capability is said to further accelerate the shift from conventional fuels to greener alternatives.
In preparation for the operation, CHI Shanghai worked closely with multiple stakeholders. Technical reviews were held to verify the feasibility, safety, and compliance for bunkering 20,000 TEU dual-fuel container ships. The shipyard organised methanol-specific training programmes, tabletop emergency exercises, and safety management initiatives to ensure robust risk controls were applied across the process and surrounding environment.
Throughout the project, BVS provided support by conducting comprehensive Hazid (hazard identification) and Hazop (hazard and operability study) risk assessments across five key stages: truck-to-ship inerting, bunkering vessel berthing, ship-to-ship transfer, post-bunkering purging, and vessel departure. These measures established a strong and reliable safety framework for the operation.
Matthieu de Tugny, BV EVP Industrials and Commodities, said: “By working closely with Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry (Shanghai), we have shown how collaboration, preparation, and rigorous risk management can make methanol bunkering both safe and practical. This operation sets a new benchmark for China’s alternative fuel adoption, and Bureau Veritas is committed to supporting the industry as it accelerates its transition to cleaner energy.”
Image: Methanol bunkering at CHI Shanghai (source: Bureau Veritas)
